The Return of the Coon
by verdand1
Summary: First fanfic... Cartman returns, Mysterion, Human Kite, Toolshed fight him...with a little help from a new character. Multi-chapter. Hopefully! Probably T, for some language.
1. Chapter 1

**Note: Hey, I'm Dandi, and this is my first fanfic. It's probably gonna need some work, so let me know how it sounds!**

**Kinda goes without sayin, but I don't own SP... the one or two characters I throw in are just for fun.**

**Just in case it's not clear in the story, Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and some of the other Coon and Friends are in college together. Oh and by the way, all their powers are legit. Stan, Kyle, Cartman...they all actually have superpowers. **

BANG!

_Crap. I died again._ I opened my eyes and found myself face down on the dirty brown carpet covering our dorm's floor. _Wait. Never mind._ I roled over, pulling up my boxers. I noticed the other guys were still asleep. Kyle, snoring like always in the corner, with his ankles dangling off the bed, clutching the worn Terrance doll that he's had since fourth grade.

Stan on the bottom bunk, sprawled on his stomach and drooling. I must have fallen out of the top bunk, again.

_Dammit. I gotta switch bunks with Stan. This is getting old. But at least I get my own mattress this time._

Just then, the alarm clock on Kyle's bed jarred everyone else awake.

"Hey Kenny, whatcha doing on the floor?" said Stan, rubbing his eyes.

"Uh, just dropped my phone. Let's go to breakfast. My first class isn't till 11."

Kyle frowned and says, "Well, I gotta go to the library. I've got a genetics test tomorrow."

Stan gave him a friendly punch in the arm. "What's this? You don't have time for your crew anymore? Aw, well when you're a big rich-ass doctor, you're gonna wish you were still hanging out with us losers!"

Kyle punched him back, "No way, man. We've been through some crazy shit together. You know you guys are my best friends."

As Stan and I trudged out the door, I called to Kyle, "We're still on for tonight, right?"

"Yeah, bro. 9 o clock."

On our way to the dining hall, Stan's silence was a heavy weight. He walked 5 feet behind me, dragging his feet a little, like his backpack weighed more than he did. _What's with the mood swing? _I thought. I grabbed like, 10 pancakes off the breakfast line, some sausage links, bacon, eggs, and home fries. When no one's looking, I snagged a bagel to give to Kyle later.

I sat down across from Stan. He slouched, staring at his waffle. _Come on. What's with the drama queen act?_

"Dude, what's eating you? It's like you're PMS-ing or something."

He sighed, "It's been a year since the Coon…you know…do you think he's planning something?"

_Oh. Right. _

One year ago, our former friend Eric Cartman, also known as the supervillian the Coon, escaped from prison. When we first discovered our superhero abilities ten years back in fourth grade, Cartman's powers of regeneration and enhanced intelligence were very unstable, and he became corrupted by the power he possessed. He turned on us, blowing up our secret base. From then on, he became our enemy. Through the years, he became more and more twisted. Though there was probably little humanity left in the Coon's soul, Stan clung to the hope that he'd come back and we could just, you know, go back to how things used to be.

I thought that was bullshit.

"Stan. We can't live like this. Cartman is gone. He's never coming back. The Coon took over, and there's nothing we can do except to throw his fat ass back in prison."

"Yeah, but…aw, screw this. I have to go to class. See you tonight." He picked up his messenger bag, dumped his plate, and walked out.

I couldn't help but feel for him just a bit. I put my fork down, then picked it back up.

_Damn, these pancakes are good._


	2. Chapter 2

I schlepped through the day's classes, then I went to the gym to shoot some hoops with Token and Clyde. In the dark I walked to the abandoned science building, looking up at the night sky; it takes me back to the night I left for school, two years ago. I was 18, Karen was 9.

That night, when mom and dad were cursing, fighting, and raising hell in general, I transformed into Mysterion and took Karen up to the roof of the trailer.

"Look at the sky, Karen. Look at all of these stars. Millions of them. They're beautiful, aren't they?"

She tilted her head up. "Yeah, but nighttime is scary. It's too dark."

I took her face in both my hands, and wiped her tears. "There are scary things in this world. It's okay to be afraid."

_Sniff, sniff_. "But Guardian Angel, you're never afraid. I want to be like you."

"Everyone faces their own monsters, Karen. You are strong. You can get through this. You will live your life, and you will be happy."

I pointed to the moon.

"I look at the sky at night to remind myself that even in darkness, there is beauty, and there is hope. Think about it. Even though each star is really far away, it shines with enough light that we can see it from Earth. And some day, you could go up into space and look at the stars close up. "

I take Karen's hand. "Just remember, I'm always here for you. Even if you can't see me."

She nuzzles her head onto my shoulder, and I wrap my cloak around her. She angles her head to face me, and says, "I love you, Guardian Angel." She closes her eyes and curls up into a ball, asleep.

That was the last time I'd ever see her alive. Six weeks later, I got a call from my mom. She was pretty drunk, but she managed to tell me what happened. Karen had been on her way home from school when she was abducted. The police…found her…three days later.

I entered a deep depression that I can only describe as being reminiscent of the atmosphere of the City of R'Lyeh. My sister, who I loved with all my heart, was taken from me. The monster that I carry inside me gained strength. The morning after Karen's funeral, I looked in the mirror to find that my irises had changed color from ice blue to an unnerving, inhuman yellow. I scraped together some money quickly for some blue contact lenses. No one can know that I am losing control.

The door to the basement of the science building was locked as usual. I checked my phone. 8:56pm._ I can't be late for this meeting._

Footsteps behind me crunch in the snow.

"Yo, Kenny! Give us a hand and open the door, huh?" Kyle called out; he and Stan held a ton of pizza boxes.

"It's locked. "

Stan rolled his eyes. "Okay, hold these." Pushing the pizza boxes into my hands, he crouched slightly to examine the lock. He grinned. "This one'll be easy." He placed his right palm over the keyhole, the tumblers clicked and the door opened wide.

"Nice one, ya big tool," Kyle snickered.

"Why don't you stuff it, Flying Squirrel."

Each of us found a dark corner to suit up in, and we enter the Extreme Avengers' League Base (I know, it's always been Coon and Friends, but after the Coon was found to be behind both the 2008 stock market crash and the world Cheesy Poof shortage, it was a smart PR move to change the name.) Tupperware and Mosquito were waiting for us.

Tupperware pounded the gavel a little too hard, breaking both the tiny hammer and the table in half. "Guys. It's clear why we're having this meeting tonight. Listen, the Coon hasn't shown himself in a year. He's likely plotting something big. We need to start gathering as much intelligence as we can: where he might be, who he's talked to. Everything."

Mosquito broke in, "Why don't we just use satellite? His ass has got to be big enough we can see it from space by now."

Toolshed glared at him. His eyes narrowed, and Mosquito looked down at his half of the table. Tupperware gazed straight ahead for a second, then changed the subject.

"Human Kite? You have some information, right? "

The Kite levitated out of his seat and floated over to the 70-inch computer screen, touching and dragging icons with his fingers "Uh, right. Let's just review these arrest records…"

Snap. Fizz. The room plunged into darkness.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, thanks for reading! I'm having a lot of fun with this…next chapter, the plot's really going to pick up. :]**

The Coon's evil visage glared at us from the screen. "Hello, assholes. Did you miss me?" Even I was taken aback by the change in Eric's appearance.. The side effects of his powers caused him to sprout grey and black fur all over his body and face. His nose pointed sharply, and his brown eyes had hardened, taking on a soulless, feral light.

Human Kite rolled his eyes. "Like a weeping, pus-filled hemorrhoid, you fat piece of crap!"

"Now, now, Kyle, that's no way to talk to your old pal. I just wanted to fill you in on what I've been up to these days, you know." Our former friend clicked his claws on the table and curled back his lips, exposing dangerously sharp fangs. He continues, "Tomorrow night, I'm planning a little something special. Just something to say, I'm back. "

"Well, if you're gonna invite us, you better tell us where and when, you rat," I growl through clenched teeth. I hate these mind games he plays with us. He's always pulled this shit, even when we were kids.

The Coon let out a strangely high-pitched giggle. "How about a little puzzle to figure it out, Kenny? I've got it right here." A picture of a one-dollar bill materializes on the screen. "I dunno if you've ever seen one of these before, though. It's called _a dollar._ You buy crap with it. Well, _you_ probably never did since your loser parents were spending your college funds on PBR and Everclear! Maybe if they'd paid more attention to their kids, your widdle sister wouldn't be six feet under."

That did it. "I AM GOING TO HUNT YOU DOWN AND MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT, YOU PIECE OF FILTH!" I roared.

The Coon continued, unperturbed. "How the hell you paying for college, man? Your ass is broke!"

My breathing got deeper and faster, and I felt flames of anger licking at my insides. They moved to the outside as well, and I was enveloped in a vortex of black and white flames.

I saw nothing and no one besides that monster on the screen.

He yawned, "Well, I hate to leave you guys, but it's about time for me to get some beauty sleep. Ciao, buttlickers." His face disappears, leaving an enlarged image of the dollar bill.

The room was silent for a full minute, my four friends staring at me.

Mosquito asked calmly, "Kenny, is there a reason why you're shooting black flames out of your skin?"

"Never mind that. We need to know what the Coon's planning. Now." I give him a look that shuts him up.

Tupperware stood up to scrutinize the image on the screen. An Economics major, he immediately noticed something the rest of us never would have seen. He pointed to the left side of the bill with a letter M inside a black circle of text, reading _Denver, Colorado_. "See this? This letter inside the circle? This is the clue."

"What do you mean?" the Kite asked, puzzled.

"That symbol tells us where the bill was issued. The catch is that there isn't a Federal Reserve Bank in Denver. And the letters inside the circle can only be letters A through L. The Coon definitely intended this. And then look at the serial number. 06-182013-2100. That's not the correct format. "

"The first eight numbers…they look like a date! June 18, 2013. Is it possible that the 2100 could mean 9pm?" I mused.

"Probably. Makes sense, I guess," replied Toolshed. "Denver's only a half hour's drive from here. But there are hundreds of banks there. Which one is he gonna hit?"

Human Kite smirked. "I dunno for sure, but I have a damn good idea."


	4. Chapter 4

CH4- Just so you know, here are the guys' powers.

Kyle/Human Kite- flight/agility

Stan/Toolshed- metallopathy (manipulates items made out of metal)

Kenny/Mysterion- immortality/something else we don't know yet

Clyde/Mosquito- supersonic communication/invisibility

Token/Tupperware- enhanced strength/forcefield generation

Cartman/The Coon- greatly enhanced intelligence/ability to regenerate

Holy crap! Chapter 4? I've never written anything this long that wasn't a term paper! .

I was going to wait a few days to put it up, but I got so excited, I couldn't wait!

Ch 4

**Ten days later- Tuesday, June 18****th****, 4:12 pm**

Ten days later on the 18th, the five of us sat in Stan's tiny white Hyundai, parked across the street from the Bank of Denver headquarters. There was no way we were going to drive around in our costumes, especially since Tupperware would have gotten stuck in the door.

Scrunched in the middle seat, I lean forward to tap Kyle's shoulder in the front seat. _Swish,_ his bouncy mop of red curls turned to face me, a glint of confidence in his steady green eyes.

"Dude, what makes you so sure Cartman's about to rob _this_ bank? There are over two hundred banks in town here."

Kyle narrowed his eyes and grinned, " 'Cause _this_ is the biggest bank in town. You know how he is. Go big or go home."

"Makes a lot of sense," Token thought aloud, "Almost everyone in the state of Colorado has an account with Bank of Denver."

My stomach growled, and I couldn't tell if it was the monstrous power inside me, or it was just because I was jonesing for a pizza. I spoke up, "Let's just do some preliminary surveillance. Token, you and Kyle can go to the northeast corner of the building. How about Clyde and I take the south part, and Stan, since you've got the car, you wanna do a few laps around to scope out entry points?"

Token replied, "We'll see you right by this mailbox at 8," indicating a blue USPS box about 20 feet away.

Clyde and I crossed the street, where there were shops, restaurants, and offices.

We acted like normal college guys, laughing and talking, but there was something in Clyde's mannerisms that betrayed some sort of tension and anxiety towards me. He stayed an arm's length away from me, and I could sense that he winced slightly whenever I looked at him. We studied the building, all forty floors; the vault was in the basement, but the computer mainframe on the 28th floor.

My stomach grumbled again. "Hey. Clyde."

Clyde turned to me with a look of apprehension.

I jerked my thumb over to a sign outside a restaurant advertising half price pizza for students. "Look. You wanna get some chow?"

We walked into the noisy, cramped pizzeria. Clyde grinned at the familiar aroma of melted cheese. We sat down, and our waitress trotted over.

"Hi guys, I'm Laila, what can I get you to drink? " the girl smiled. She was pretty cute. Curly dark blond hair, bright blue eyes, petite. Muscular, but still feminine. Only problem was, she was probably a 32B, at the most.

Clyde had apparently forgotten how to talk to women, his eyes staring down at the menu. "Uhhhhh. Root beer."

She turned to me. _Hmmm. You know what, she isn't bad at all._ "I'll take a Sprite," I responded.

"Great," she replied, tucking her notepad into her apron. "I'll bring you some cheesy bread, too! It's awesome." She bounds away from the table.

I rested my head in my palm. "If her boobs were just a little bigger, she would be exactly my type. "

Craig lifted his eyes. "I didn't look at her face. Did you see her arms? She could probably snap me in half."

Laila came by to take our order, and when the pizza came out, she brought it over to us. As she leaned over the table, a sweet smell came through my nostrils. Incense. As she set the pizza down, a roaring sound rose in my ears and brain. I clamped my hands over my ears.

"What's wrong?" Clyde and Layla exclaim.

The ringing, which suddenly rose to a screech, stopped.

"N-nothing!" I blurted. "Just a… migraine."

Craig wasn't convinced. Layla looked alarmed, and grabbed a pitcher to fill up my water glass.

_That was really strange. What WAS that? _I thought.

We finished eating, and it was time to meet the rest of the guys. Kyle stood near the mailbox, talking with Token and Stan. Kyle grinned, "We're finally going to take him down. I can't wait."

Token spoke up, "I have a plan. But first, let's get suited up over there." He indicated an alley to the left.

After we changed, Token, now Tupperware, pulled out an iPad from his backpack and tapped the Maps app.

"Whatcha got for us, dude?" The Human Kite leaned over, nearly skewering Mosquito and me on his costume.

"You guys are gonna like this," Tupperware's fingers flew over the screen. "The Denver Metro's old F Line used to run _right under _Bank of Denver's headquarters. Since their vault is in the basement, the Coon would have easy access if he used the old subway tunnels to get under the vault and then blast his way in. That's the only way possible to get in. "

"So you're saying that the Coon is going to be in the subway tunnels tonight?" I inquired.

"One hundred and ten percent sure. It's the only way in without getting caught," declared Tupperware.

I glance at the clocktower on top of the Bank of Denver's headquarters. 7:48pm.

"Looks like it's time to make our move."

Down in the abandoned subway tunnel, giant black rats roamed in the corridors lit only by the feeble beams of 60-watt lightbulbs positioned every ten yards along the catwalk. The track portion of the tunnel had been flooded with water, almost up to the platform. The only sounds were the dripping of water, the occasional squeaking of the rats, and our footsteps, which only added to the eerie atmosphere.

The gadget on Tupperware's forearm vibrated an alert. "We're close to the vault. Really, really close," he whispered. We walked another fifty feet, and we found what we were looking for. A perfectly round hole about four feet wide gaped in the ceiling of the tunnel.

"Look. There's a rope dangling from inside that hole! It's got to be him!"

Human Kite cautiously flew up to investigate the hole where Tupperware shone his flashlight. A black boot emerged and kicked the Kite backward with such force that he slammed against the wall at the other side of the platform.

"Ughhhh!" Human Kite slid down the wall and groaned.

"What the hell was that?" I shouted. My answer came soon enough. A dark figure dropped out of the hole and crouched in front of us. He or she was small, but from their stance and body type I could tell they were dangerous. The figure was clothed completely in black, with only their eyes exposed. A curved sword dangled at either hip.

_Well shit, _I thought. _A ninja._

"I knew I would find you here, it just took a little patience. You're not getting away this time, I'll make sure of it. You've ruined too many lives." The figure reached a hand into a pocket and hurled several _shuriken_ at us.

"Toolshed!" Mosquito screamed.

Toolshed stretched out his left hand, stopping the throwing stars dead. They fell to the ground.

"No dice, huh? Well then." The ninja took out two smoke bombs and threw them in our path.

"I'm on it!" Tupperware jumped in front of us, spread his hands, and a blue wall of energy materialized between the ninja and us. The smoke bombs exploded and clouded the ninja's vision. "This wasn't in the plan, guys. I swear!"

The ninja backed away, coughing.

"This is nuts! He probably thinks we're the ones going to rob the bank!" postulated Mosquito.

"Wait," I held up my hand. "In that case, then we're on the same side. We need to convince him that we're looking for the same person."

"But how do we do that?" Toolshed asked. "He's not gonna let up."

Tupperware groaned. The forcefield was failing. The blue wall disappeared.

The ninja straightened up, recovered from the backfired smoke bomb attack. He unsheathed a sword and walked towards us.

"_Hey_! Listen! We're not gonna rob the bank! We're trying to _stop_ the guy who's actually trying to rob the bank!" I shout desperately. "You can help us!"

"How do I know you're not _lying?!_" He broke into a run, jumped straight up, somersaulted, and landed directly in front of me. The tip of the blade hovered inches from my neck. "You knew the F Line is the only access to the vault! Why would you be down here if not to rob the bank?" The point of the sword touched the tip of my nose.

Suddenly, the figure's free hand flew to his temple, and he winced in pain, sinking to his knees. A second later, I felt it too. What I felt earlier at the pizza shop, only a hundred times worse. My brain felt like it was being stung by a thousand bees. I fell down, too.

"Back…away…take care of your….friend," the ninja indicated Kyle's still inert figure.

Clyde and Token ran over to where Kyle lay.

"He's okay! Oh, thank God!"

Stan helped me up. The buzzing and pain stopped instantly. I strode over to our incapacitated adversary. I picked up the sword.

"Mysterion, what are you doing?" Stan gasped.

"Unh, if you're going to kill me, do it quickly." The ninja was obviously still in pain. The invisible force that affected me was hurting him as well.

I raised the sword.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch 5

I stared at my reflection in the blue eyes of the assassin.

"You want proof we're not here to cause trouble? How's this?" I dropped the sword at his feet. "If our goal really was to rob the bank, I would have killed you just now."

He held my gaze for several seconds, then picked up the blade and sheathed it. Straightening up, he murmured "Thank you. You truly do fight for good."

Stan stuck out his hand to help him up. "I'm Toolshed, and we're the Extreme Avengers League. This is Tupperware, Human Kite, Mosquito, and Mysterion."

The ninja took his hand. A female voice said, "Call me Rin."

Clyde's jaw dropped. "Wait. _What?_ It's a _chick?_ You're a _girl?_"

Rin crossed her arms. Her shiny blue eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean? Women can't be ninjas?"

Tupperware smacked him upside the head. "No! Not at all! Your voice was just so deep, we thought you were a guy."

She laughed. "And I'm supposed to believe that Mysterion talks this way all the time?" She stepped toward me. "You think you're Batman or something?"

_Fizzle._

"Ow!" she exclaimed, grabbing her head. "What'd you do that for?"

"Do what?" I asked. _I didn't do anything. She's crazy._

"You shocked me."

"Did not. _Oww!_" Now I got shocked too. "It's not me!"

Rubbing her head, Rin replied, "Well, if it's not you, and it's definitely not me, then what could it possibly be?"

"Beats me, but it looks like we're going to run out of time. It's 8:58."

She looked at me for a second, and of course I couldn't be sure, but I thought I saw her smile.

The six of us climbed up the rope to the inside of the vault and looked around the giant metal room. Stacks upon stacks of gold bars and paper money littered the floor wherever we looked.

"This is definitely prime bait for the Coon," commented the Human Kite. "He's the guy we're after," he explained to Rin. "We've been following him for years, but he disappeared a year ago. He caused a lot of trouble in our hometown."

"I don't doubt it. For months, there have been bank robberies and kidnappings here in Denver, and the police are stumped. He might be our guy."

"So…I don't get it," Clyde piped up, leaning against a stack of gold bars the size of a whale. "Why are _you_ here?"

Rin turned to face him and glared. "Why are_ I_ here? Denver is _my_ home. I'm not going to just sit and watch while things here go to hell in a handbasket. I do what I do because I need to protect my city. And if you can't see past the fact that, yeah, I_ am_ a girl, then get lost and let me take care of this myself!"

_Creak. Thunk. BOOM! _The floor shook below us like there was an earthquake. Steel tiles separated from each other and the room bent upwards like a Dali painting. The Coon emerged from a newly created hole in the ground wielding a particularly nasty-looking weapon.

"Great, you guys! You figured out my riddle! I'm _sooo _proud of you." He noticed Rin. "Hey. New guy! Comic Con's _next_ week, loser!"

"Oh, look!" she retorted. "A fat, talking badger!"

"Ooooh. A chick, huh? She sounds hot." The Coon licked his lips. "We-ell," he drawled, "whaddaya say we get down to business?" He suddenly turned to Kyle. "I think I'll start with you!" He pulled the trigger on the weapon, shooting a giant electrified claw onto Kyle's chest.

"AAAAAAAGH! ARRRRRGH!" Kyle screamed. His eyes rolled back in his head.

"You sick bastard!" roared Stan. He ran to pry the device from Kyle's chest, but Cartman fired another claw. We heard a sickening crunch of bone as the claw tightened around his legs and he lost consciousness. Both of them stopped screaming.

I grabbed Rin's hand and hid behind a mountain of gold bullion.

Token and Clyde, in their shock, didn't stand a chance. My man Token took a claw right to his heart, and Clyde succumbed to a point blank shot to the head.

The Coon turned to the pile of gold bars shielding Rin and me. "Don't think I don't know where you're hiding from me, _Kenny_." He twirled that vile instrument of murder in his hands. I left you and your girlfriend alive for a reason. But you're just going to have to wait to find out."

He threw down a foul-smelling green smoke grenade and disappeared.

With Rin on my tail, I tore over to where my best friends lay.

"_NO! OH GOD! Don't do this, Kyle!" _I pounded on his chest. "_This isn't happening!" _

Rin ran over to Stan and placed two fingers on his neck, feeling for a pulse. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mysterion."

There was no need to check for Clyde and Token; their deaths were quick and painless.

_My life has no meaning. Everyone I have ever cared about is dead. _

The dark, hideous feelings of rage I had kept inside me since my sister's death reached a boiling point, and I let them spill out. I didn't care anymore at that moment. No words ran through my head. Just wordless shrieks.

"_RRRRRRRRRAAAGGGGH!" _ I bellowed, and from my hands released a cyclone of black flames, vaporizing a pile of cash and the three-foot-thick steel wall behind it. I felt myself rising above the floor inch by inch, a crushing pain in my chest.

"_NO!_" Rin gasped. She threw herself bodily at me, knocking me on my back and taking my face in her hands.

"You have to control your emotions, Mysterion! You'll cause inconceivable destruction if you do not regain control!"

I reached for my hidden knife, Rin's thumb flickered above my right eye, and then everything faded to darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6

It's looking pretty bleak for Kenny and company right now, huh? Well, why don't we get inside Rin's head?

Let's see what she thinks!

Rin:

As Mysterion rose off of the floor, I knew I had to stop him. My mind raced. _If he lets loose here, right now, it's all over. _

I tackled him and dragged him down to the floor. Before he could react, I tapped the pressure point above where his eyebrow would be and knocked him out.

I took him home. What else was I supposed to do? As I snuck from alley to alley, I couldn't help wonder, _is it really true? He's the one? What did that monster call him? Kenny, right?_

I have been searching for my counterpart for years. The goddess of creation meets the god of destruction. I had read about the spawn of Cthulhu before; he would be an Immortal, incarnate with the power to destroy the universe. _But would this kid ever do something like that? If his soul becomes dark enough. I have to stop him from letting Cthulhu take over._

Unfortunately, I myself am not an Immortal. Though I can strengthen the life force of other people and heal myself, there is a limit. If I use too much life force, I will die. Permanently. I cannot bring the physically dead back to life, but I can resurrect a broken heart. _And he will need all the strength I can give him._

I unlocked the door to my apartment and stepped inside. _This man was given the power to destroy. I have the power to create. We are two sides of the same coin, and neither can exist without the other. _

_If we can complete the Cycle…could we…? No. Let's not think about that yet._

I laid him down on my sofa and covered him with a blanked. He was a lot bigger than me, but I looked down at him and immediately wanted to protect him. _Surely he has experienced countless painful deaths. Why does he persist? _ I knelt down next to him and tried to work out a plan to tell him about what his powers mean for him and for the world.

Kenny:

I woke to the scent of incense and a hand resting lightly on my elbow.

"Kenny. Don't move. You have to look at me." Rin knelt next to me on the brown couch. "You're safe. I- I'm sorry I had to knock you out like that, but I had to stop you."

I sat up, "I have to go. He's still out there." She gently pushed me back onto the couch.

"No, you don't understand. Listen. I know about your power. I _know _who you are. I can help you." She raised a gloved hand and yanked off her hood. "Do you remember where you were when you first felt that pain in your head?"

I looked at her face, her curly hair falling over her shoulders. "You're the girl from the pizza place?" She nodded.

"You're not going to believe the next few minutes, but before I say it, I want to preface it with the fact that I have an idea how to get your friends back. "

I felt my gaze harden. "I'll do whatever it takes. I'd die a thousand deaths for any one of them." Stan. Kyle. Token. Clyde. We'd overcome so much together.

Laila's soft blue eyes looked straight into my soul. "I have something you need to see.".

She set a black laptop on my legs, opened it, and showed me a picture of a stone engraving. "You see," she explained, "I am like you. I was also born human, but I have the blood of a deity in me as well. " She pointed to the third line of the engraving, in which a woman with flowing hair stepped on the neck of a monster. "I am a descendent of the sun goddess Amaterasu. Just as you retain some of Cthulhu's power, I have been allotted certain abilities as well."

I squinted at the screen. "How do you know about my past?"

Laila pointed. "It's all here. _If ever the One and the Other shall meet, it shall be made known to Them._ _Their spirits shall clash and a great Power shall awaken. If the light and the darkness meet, the Cycle will complete and Death shall become Life. _When we first met, my powers and your powers interacted. Like radio interference, whenever we got too close to each other, our powers signaled us. Now that we have met, the powers that have stayed dormant inside you and I are enhanced. Not to mention whenever one of us is under extreme emotional stress, the power manifests itself physicially."

"I have no clue at all what you're talking about. How do you even know my name?"

She smiled. "The only reason I know your name is because the Coon called you Kenny, and I assumed that was your name. You guys must have a hell of a history for him to call you out like that."

"He used to be my friend. But this. I will take him to hell." I answered.

"You can fight him, Kenny," she explained. "But you have to stay in control of your powers." She clicked on another section of the engraving. "The being inside of you, as you know, is the god of destruction and death. Releasing it would be catastrophic. Listen. You hold in your hands the power to destroy the _universe._ Cthulhu's power of darkness must not take over your soul."

Laila helped me off of the couch. "Come on. Let's get some air." She led me by the hand out the back door onto a small deck, just large enough to hold a rope hammock. Lying down on the hammock, she motioned for me to do the same.

"Isn't the night sky amazing?" she marveled. "The fact that those tiny little blue dots up there are actually bigger than Earth just blows my mind." I lay down next to her.

"I used to look at the sky and see the stars, Laila. I've stopped doing that. There's just too much darkness." All I saw was my sister's face.

She turned to me, her fingers lightly grasping mine. "Yes, Kenny, there is darkness all around us. But without darkness, you can't have light. Without destruction, there is no creation."

At that moment, her face was so close to mine that I felt almost a magnetic attraction. We gently pressed our lips together and I felt a loving warmth pulsate from the top of my head to my toes. For a moment, the feelings of rage, loss, and despair that were pulling me into a black hole were erased by an aura of serenity as they were siphoned out of my body. As Laila put her arms around my neck and shifted her body closer, I looked into her blue eyes. Pinpricks of golden light emanated from her irises, giving the appearance of an entire galaxy contained within her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey again! Dandi here. Sorry it's short, but I was on holiday last week, and I didn't have a computer! I'm working out a couple scenarios in my head right now... I don't know what I want to do next with this story. But it's gonna be good, whatever it is! Expect another update within a few days! **

**PS Anyone interested in illustrating a few scenes? That'd be so cool!**

**~D**

Laila whispered, "Please, be strong. All of the pain you felt, I have just experienced. Your misery, doubt, anger…I have taken them from you, but I can feel a fire burning deep inside. Your determination and your loyalty to your friends gives you great strength. I can feel your power just by lying next to you."

"But I don't feel it right now. And what does this have to do with what just happened to my friends?"

"I don't know what the Coon thinks he'll accomplish by murdering your friends, but I have a feeling it's something to do with using your powers for his own bidding. He knows about the ancient writings, I'm sure of it."

"I don't know if I can do this without them, you know? Stan, Kyle, Clyde, Token and I have been together since we can remember. There's this hole in my heart right now. And I don't think it'll ever be filled again."

Laila slid her arm under her head and rolled over onto her side, topaz hair glinting faintly in the moonlight.

"You _can_ fight the Coon without them. I _know_ it's hard to be alone, but eventually, you find that you're strong enough to do things on your own. But listen. I'll be here for you. I'll do everything I can to make sure the Coon gets what he deserves and that we all get our lives back."

"But how do you know that?"

"I've gone through the same loss and frustration as you. Please, listen to me. You don't realize it, but your own powers have been growing inside you since your birth. The only problem is that your powers are so vast, you could destroy more than just the Coon if you don't control yourself. You could easily blast this city off the map in one shot. You hold the ultimate power of destruction." She reached over and brushed a lock of hair off my face.

"The energy that radiates from your body is antimatter, pure destructive energy. More explosive than fifty atomic bombs."

I looked into her steady blue eyes. "But you're still here? Even though I'm basically a time bomb?"

She laid her ear to my heart. "The doomsday clock is ticking, Kenny. But we can stop it before midnight."


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, after three hours of tossing, turning, and nightmares, I slumped down at the tiny breakfast table in the kitchen. Laila stood at the stove, cracking eggs into a frying pan.

"Hey, good morning. How do you like your eggs, Kenny?" she smiled.

"Sunny side up? I guess?" I yawned.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to talk about right now, but we have to make a plan." The toaster dinged and popped, and Laila slid the toaster waffles onto my plate. I picked one up, bit into it, and sat back.

I chewed thoughtfully. "We used to have these waffles every day at my house. Sometimes we'd even eat them for dinner. "

"I know. And you would also give Karen half of yours when you thought no one was looking."

_The pain never goes away. _I slumped forward.

Laila put her hand gently on my back. "You were a great brother. And you still _are._ You _love _her. You would have done anything for her."

I nodded. "_Anything. _And it still wasn't enough."

She turned off the stove and sat down across from me.

**Laila:**

I could tell he was hurting terribly. I could feel it in his aura; his life force became darker and darker. But I could also see Kenny's indomitable inner power, straining against the evil encroaching upon his soul.

_But where's it coming from? How could he have not been destroyed by all this tragedy in his life? _

I reached for his hand. "I get that. I'd do anything to get back the guy I lost. I just wasn't there for him when he needed me. But I made a vow to myself that I will be there for all of the people who have touched my life. You included. I will _not_ abandon you."

After dark, Kenny and I went on a reconnaissance mission to get a read on the Coon's whereabouts, but we were unsuccessful.

As we climbed the stairs back to my apartment, I sensed something was wrong. My suspicions were confirmed when we reached my door, which was unlocked.

**Kenny****:**

Someone was in Laila's apartment. With a finger to her lips, she motioned me to follow her inside.

The tiny apartment had been ransacked. The kitchen table lay on its side; the couch cushions were clawed to shreds. Cupboard doors had been ripped off their hinges.

Laila walked stealthily toward her closed bedroom door, listened, and pulled down her mask, mouthing _in here!_

I tiptoed over, fingering the throwing knife I keep in a secret pocket.

Her finger went up. _One. _She nodded. A second finger. _Two. Three!_

I kick the door open and we rush into her bedroom. Sitting at Laila's desk and scrolling through her laptop's files was a short, thin man with black hair and pale skin.

He stood up, startled.

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing in my apartment?" Laila shouted.

He snapped up her laptop and took a step toward the window. I threw the knife, pinning his trouser leg to the wall behind him. We raced over and I pried the computer from his clawlike hands and grabbed my knife, holding it on him. Laila put her forearm across his throat and applied pressure.

"Who sent you?" she snarled.

The rat's eyes darted up and down, up and down. "Nobody! I work alone!"

"Like hell you do." I closed my eyes and felt the black fire's energy pulsate at my fingertips. I clenched a fist and made sure he saw it.

"I'm good at two things, you jerkoff. I can read your aura and access all your memories just by touching you, so I'm pretty adept at detecting bullshit."

He glanced over at me. "So what's the second thing?"

Laila leaned on her elbow, making the villain wheeze. "Lie to us again and you'll find out."

_Gasp. _"Okay! Okay!" he acquiesced.

Laila released the pressure slightly. I held my fist closer to his face.

"Tell. Us. Everything." I growled.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Hey there! It's been a while! I was on vacation, and I am applying to medical schools . _**

**_Thanks for all the comments! I'm so happy you like it. Okay, here we go!_**

_Gasp. _"Okay! Okay!" he rasped.

Laila released the pressure slightly. I held my fist closer to his face.

"Tell. Us. Everything." I growled.

"Yeah, man! Just don't kill me, huh?" Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "The Coon sent me here with orders to take your computer. I don't know why, I swear." He pointed weakly to Laila's desk.

Laila's eyes cut to me. "What do you think, Mysterion? Seems like he's telling the truth, but you know the Coon better than I do."

The flame in my hand went out, and I took a deep breath. "Yeah. He doesn't know anything. Even when we all worked together, the Coon never let anyone know the reasons behind his plans."

"Really! That's all I know," the man insisted. "Get the computer, and bring it back to…oh shit."

"Where?! To where?!" Laila grabbed his black bangs and yanked upwards.

"GAH! To the Airport Hilton!"

She let his hair go, and the rat sank to the floor. "You've told us the whole truth now, haven't you?"

"Yeah! Honest to God, I have no idea what he wants your computer for!"

I touched Laila's shoulder. "What do we do about this guy? We can't kill him…"

"I know," she whispered back. "I have an idea, though." She jabbed three fingers into the man's armpit and pressed the nape of his neck with her thumb; the man went limp. "That should buy us about three days. He'll wake up with no memory of this whole thing."

"Hey," I said. "You have a car? I think we have an appointment at the Airport Hilton."

"I sure do." Laila grabbed her computer and typed away for a few moments. "And I have a plan, as well. But something tells me you're not gonna like it."

"Great."

**Laila:**

At 7 am, my old Jetta sputtered to life as I pumped the accelerator.

Kenny turned to me as he sat down in the front seat,"I don't see why we're driving your car as Rin and Mysterion if we have to walk through a hotel lobby to get to the Coon's hideout."

I slung my arm around the back of my seat and threw the car into reverse. "Okay, so there is a method to my madness, don't worry." I backed carefully out of the parking space and onto the road. "We need to get to the Coon's hideout without being noticed, right?" I tossed him a Smores flavored Luna bar.

"Yeah, but I'm wearing purple spandex for God's sake," he added, "and you're a freaking ninja. How are people _not_ gonna notice us?"

"Any other day, that'd be a problem. But _today, _the Airport Hilton is going to be _full_ of people in superhero costumes. The Denver Comic Con is kicking off there this morning. I'm telling you, we'll fit right in."

Kenny tore the wrapper off the Luna bar and demolished it in three bites. "Srgrrmph eh mmf brbrgmff?"

"Exactly. Sometimes, the best place to hide is in plain sight."

**Kenny:**

I still wasn't sure about Laila's plan, but I figured it was best to leave the setup to her. _If anyone would know how to be stealthy, it'd be a ninja_.

I instead focused on preparing myself to face the Coon and end this cat-and-mouse game once and for all. I hated him for murdering my friends, and I wanted to look into his eyes as I choked the very last breath out of him. _Laila was right. My power is growing_. I needed revenge almost as much as I needed oxygen to survive. _He's going down. Even if I have to take him to Hell myself._

I looked over at Laila; her determined eyes were fixed on the road. _I'm glad I met her, but not under these circumstances._

She sensed I was watching her, and she turned to me as we pulled up to a red light. Her eyes softened as she pulled down the lower part of her hood. "You've been through hell in the past seventy-two hours, Kenny, I know. But it'll be over soon." Laila's hand found mine on the center armrest. "And the Coon doesn't stand a chance against the both of us."

My arm stiffened as my friends' deaths replayed in my head. I looked down. Our fingers had interlaced. She looked back at the road.

"He and I have a little score to settle as well."

We sped down the highway another thirty miles, until we parked at the Hilton and walked inside. I adjusted my hood, checking for security cameras. Laila nudged me, "Hey, looks like you're pretty popular." She pointed to the coffee kiosk, where a group of cosplayers wearing hoods with green question marks ate pastries, laughing.

"That's good," I said. "The more Mysterions there are here, the less likely I'll be noticed."

"And the ninja chick count is sky high, too," Laila offered. "Now let's find the central office."

We took a left out of the marble-floored foyer, past the bathrooms, finding a door labeled "Hotel Staff Only". Laila tried the door. Unlocked. "That's weird," I thought aloud. The door swung open.

"Aw, crap!" she exclaimed.


End file.
